PRESTWICH HEYS 2 IRLAM 0
TUESDAY 17TH MARCH 2026 NW COUNTIES PREMIER DIVISION ATT:165

Report by Stephen Howard
Pictures by Bethany Lee

Prestwich Heys chalked up a magnificent seventh successive League win with a hard-fought victory over Irlam at Adie Moran Park on Tuesday night.

Goals from Luke Mann and Rob Worrall earned Heys the points which moved them up to eighth in the NW Counties Premier Division table, closing the gap on the promotion play off chasing pack to seven points with seven games to play.

Whilst Ryan Hutchinson’s side still have much to do if they are to make those play offs, their performance here, against an Irlam side sitting fourth in the table, suggests they have the attributes to compete in such company.

In a game of few chances, Heys had to show defensive resilience, particularly in the first half, before emerging the stronger side in the second period where they sealed the points with a sublime finish from Rob Worrall with seven minutes to go.

Heys had taken the lead in added time of a first half in which the visitors had been the livelier and more threatening side.

The first chance of the night came Irlam’s way in the 9th minute as from a corner Josh Wood tried an angled shot from outside the box which whistled past the far post. Had it been on target it is doubtful anyone was stopping it.

Whilst Heys were showing plenty of endeavour it was not until the 17th minute they created anything meaningful. It came from a nice move down the right with Worrall, Reece Lascelles-Higgins and Bryson Appleton linking before the latter burst into the box, but his shot hit the side netting.

By and large though Heys were finding it hard to make any attacking headway against a well drilled Irlam side who carried a threat going forward.

They came mightily close to leading in the 25th minute as they got in behind the Heys defence and Ethan Cartwright looked to lift a shot over Kyle Haslam, but the Heys keeper managed to get a touch on the ball which allowed James Badrock to clear off the line.

Irlam threatened again in the 33rd minute when a ball into the box was laid off by John Johnston to Ross Davidson whose sharp shot was palmed down and gathered at the second attempt by Haslam.

The visitors had overall looked the sharper of the two sides with Heys struggling to make any real attacking headway. However, there was a persistence and resilience to their play, and it was to reward them in the second minute of first time, added time, when they took the lead.

From a free kick out to the left the ball was whipped into the box by Mann. Irlam keeper Elliot Wynne shouted for it but then seemed to lose the flight of the ball, completely missing it, for it find the top corner of the net.

Doubtless buoyed by the goal Heys came out for the second half with a spring in their step. With their passing crisper and movement quicker, bringing wide men Takura Sambizi and Bryson Appleton more into the game, they began to ask questions of the visitor’s defence.

A couple of dangerous crosses caused consternation in the visitors’ defence and then on the hour a great move down the middle saw Mann and Holt exchanging passes before the latter, on the turn, fired a shot just over from the edge of the area.

Heys had by and large nullified the Irlam attack but the introduction of Callum Sandle, averaging a goal game since the turn of the year, injected some new life into their play. He fired in a shot in the 73rd minute that resulted in a corner that Haslam had to claw from under the bar, starting a flurry of action as Heys battled to clear multiple balls into the box.

As the game entered the final ten minutes it was very much in the balance but as play became more open it was Heys who looked the most likely.

In the 81st minute, a great break out of defence by Sambizi saw him find Holt who crossed for Appleton, racing into the box, from the right, whose first time shot flew across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

The momentum was now with Heys and two minutes later they sealed victory in breathtaking fashion. A great move starting out on the left saw the ball moved in field where Worrall exchanged passes with Holt before firing an unstoppable shot from ten yards out for Heys second goal, sparking ecstatic scenes of celebration.

The visitors had nothing left to give as they suffered only their second defeat of 2026. After an absorbing contest, Heys were able to see out the remaining time with ease to record a fine win and set up a tantalising final four weeks of the season.

TEAM: Kyle Haslam, Reece Lascelles-Higgins, Luke Findlow, James Badrock, Matthew Smyth, Nicholas Dre Taylor, Bryson Appleton, Rob Worrall, Louis Holt, Luke Mann, Takura Sambizi Subs:
Kamoy McNair, Alistair Bracken (for Mann 87 mins), Josh Tinker, Louie Hutchinson (for Findlow 90 mins), Lucas Bancroft (for Taylor 90 mins)